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The oil price shock is adversely impacting the economy. Angola’s oil basket is projected to average US$53 per bbl in 2015, from slightly over US$100 per bbl in 2014, leading to large declines in fiscal revenue and exports. While oil production has recovered following the completion of maintenance work, non-oil GDP growth is expected to decelerate to 2.1 percent in 2015. The industrial, construction and services sectors are adjusting to the decline in private consumption and public investment and lingering difficulties to obtain foreign currency. Inflation is projected to reach close to 14 percent by end-2015, exceeding the National Bank of Angola (BNA)’s 7-9 percent objective. The 2015 budget will allow the central government deficit to fall to 3.5 percent of GDP, compared to 6.4 percent last year. Public debt, however, is projected to increase significantly to 57.4 percent of GDP, of which 14.7 percent of GDP corresponds to the state-owned oil company Sonangol, by end-2015. The external current account deficit is expected to reach 7.6 percent of GDP in 2015; and international reserves to drop to US$22.3 billion (about 7 months of 2016 imports) by end-2015. Meanwhile, a wide spread emerged between the parallel and primary market exchange rates, pointing to an imbalance in the foreign exchange market.

The economic situation in 2016 is likely to remain challenging as international oil prices are not expected to recover and risks are on the downside. Growth is projected to remain stable at 3.5 percent in 2016, with the oil sector growing by about 4 percent. The non-oil sector is expected to show a small improvement, growing by 3.4 percent year-on-year, driven mainly by a stronger recovery in agriculture. Inflation is projected to slow to 13 percent at end-2016, as the effect of the recent monetary tightening is expected to be felt more clearly in the second half of 2016.

A Russian court on Friday ruled that Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine accused of spying, should be held in a pre-trial detention facility for a further three months to give investigators more time to look into his case.

The Kurdish-led administration that runs much of northern Syria welcomed a U.S. decision to keep 200 American troops in the country after a pullout, saying it would protect their region and may encourage European states to keep forces there too.